HERTZ The Complete San Francisco Recordings, Volume 1 (1927/28) - PASC163

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HERTZ The Complete San Francisco Recordings, Volume 1 (1927/28) - PASC163

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Overview

BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No. 3
SCHUBERT Rosamunde, Entr'acte No. 3
SCHUBERT Marche Militaire
WEBER Die Freischütz - Overture
MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night's Dream

Recorded in 1927 and 1928
Total duration: 58:59

San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Alfred Hertz

This set contains the following albums:

One of the most important conductors of the early C20

First of four volumes comprising the complete San Francisco recordings



This release is the first of four which will present the complete recordings of Alfred Hertz and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. Hertz was an important conductor during the early years of the 20th century, both in Germany, where he led the Berlin Philharmonic in their first recordings (Naxos Historical 8.110049-50; Berliner Philharmoniker BPH 06 01) and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he earned the enmity of the Wagner family by breaking the ban on staged performances of Parsifal outside of Bayreuth.

Between 1925 and 1928, he recorded extensively for the Victor Talking Machine Company with the San Francisco Symphony, whose music director he had become in 1915. Despite his notoriety, none of these recordings has ever been reissued on CD; and indeed, only one (the Tristan Prelude) was ever available on LP – and that only on a limited release from the Met.

For the current Pristine release, all the sides were taken from mid-1930s Victor “Z” shellac pressings, the most quiet form of issue, except for the Marche Militaire. By the time this was released on “Z” pressings, the original matrix had been replaced by a sonically compromised dubbing. However, the original, somewhat noisier “Orthophonic” pressings contained the undubbed side, and that is presented here in order for the recording to be heard in greater detail. (The last side of the Leonore Overture was only ever available in dubbed form, however.) I have also taken pains to correct the pitch fluctuations that plague all of the 1927 sides.

Mark Obert-Thorn


  • BEETHOVEN - Leonore Overture No. 3, Op.72c (13:11)
    Recorded 20th, 21st and 28th February, 1928 at the Scottish Rite Temple, Oakland
    Matrix nos: PCVE-42008-2, 42009-2, 42010-4 and 42011-1R
    First issued on Victor 6906 and 6907

  • SCHUBERT - Rosamunde, D.797 - Entr'acte No. 3 in B flat (4:43)
    Recorded 12th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco
    Matrix nos: PCVE-245-1
    First issued on Victor 6678 in album M-18

  • SCHUBERT - Marche Militaire, D.733, No.1 (4:45)
    Recorded 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco
    Matrix nos: PCVE-250-2
    First issued on Victor 6639

  • WEBER - Die Freischütz - Overture (9:19)
    Recorded 13th and 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco
    Matrix nos: PCVE-246-3 and 247-2
    First issued on Victor 6705

  • MENDELSSOHN -A Midsummer Night's Dream
    1. Overture (11:54)
    2. Scherzo (4:40)
    3. Nocturne (6:02)
    4. Wedding March (4:25)
    Recorded 11th, 12th and 15th April, 1927 in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco

    Matrix nos: PCVE-238-3, 239-2, 240-1, 241-4, 242-2, 243-1 and 244-2
    First issued on Victor 6675 through 6678 in album M-18


San Francisco Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Alfred Hertz

Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn
Special thanks to Don Tait for lending the undubbed take of the Marche Militaire
Cover artwork based on a photograph of Alfred Hertz

Total duration: 58:59